Method and data processing ssytem for timing the duration of a session

ABSTRACT

A method of timing the duration of a session during a connection between a user station and a chargeable zone of an Internet site, during which session the user station can access chargeable data and/or services of the site without disconnecting from the Internet, the method comprising: loading a monitoring program into the user station for execution throughout the duration of the session, said monitoring program being configures, while it is being executed, to send information relating to the state of the connection to a time-metering server, said information being renewed periodically throughout the session.

The present invention relates to data transmission networks such as theInternet.

Some operators provide Internet downloading of a Videotex emulator suchas a plug-in or a Java applet providing access to Minitel® services inFrance (see for example the World Wide Web site www.metel.fr at thepriority date). Not all Minitel® services can be accessed, and only theservices of providers who have entered into an agreement with theoperator are offered free of charge.

At present many Internet content or service providers bill Internetsurfers after logging their credit card number, for example.

However, many Internet surfers are reluctant to divulge their creditcard number over the Internet, even to a secure site.

Also, the costs associated with payment by credit card are notnegligible if the amount billed to the Internet surfer is small.

European patent EP 0 885 504 B1 recites a method of billing for datatransmission networks. According to this patent, because of thedecentralized aspect of the Internet Network, it is very difficult ortoo expensive to use the usual billing principals:

-   -   billing based on the duration of connection between two        terminals for a given transmission speed and a given distance,    -   billing based on the quantity of exchange data between two        terminals, as a function of the transmission data speed.

The EP 0 885 504 B1 patent teaches to insert, in the data packets thatare transmitted over the Net, a toll heading including a numerical valuecorresponding to a credit of toll units. Such a method requires workingon the communication nodes, so that the billing operation is relativelycomplex. This method does not bring any solution to bill for duration ofconnection during an Internet session.

International application WO 00/65 493 describes a method for doing anelectronic commerce transaction, in which access certificates aregenerated by at least one intermediary in order to avoid thetransmission of data relative to means of payment over the Internet. Nomethod of billing for duration of connection to a chargeable zone of anInternet site is described.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,221 describes a method for establishing an agreementbetween an Internet access provider and a customer, and an agreementbetween the Internet access provider and a vendor site of products orservices. Once those agreements have been established, the Internetaccess provider bills the user for the products or services he hasbought to the vendor site. This patent does not describe a billing forduration of connection.

International application WO 01/61 592 describes a system only forbilling applications software usage offered over the Internet by anapplication service provider (A.S.P.). This application teaches thepossibility of billing for the running of software according to aconnect time, but does not describe any method nor system to bill aconnection to a chargeable zone of an Internet site, with application ofseveral charging rates and as a function of the duration of connection,capable of being used by a large number of sites and offering sufficientsecurity guaranties. On the contrary, this application recommends abilling system for every running, i.e. adapted to the calculations andoperations executed by software when the user asks for.

Thus, there is a need for timing the duration of a session during aconnection between a user station and a chargeable zone of an Internetsite.

There also exists a need for easier access via the Internet to providersof chargeable contents or services.

Chargeable contents or services may be any content or service which isnot freely accessible to any user having access to the network.Chargeable contents or services may be any content or service that canbe charged to an individual or a company or any other kind ofinstitution, either directly (for example by sending a bill) orindirectly (for example in exchange for other services or execution of acommercial agreement).

One aspect of the invention is to provide a method of timing theduration of a session during a connection between a user station and achargeable zone of an Internet site, during which session the userstation can access chargeable data and/or services of the site withoutdisconnecting from the Internet, whatever the type of connection (i.g.cable, x-DSL, UMTS, . . . ).

This method may comprise loading a monitoring program into the userstation for execution throughout the duration of the session, saidmonitoring program being configured, while it is being executed, to sendinformation relating to the state of the connection to a time-meteringserver, said information being renewed periodically throughout thesession.

This method may enable Internet sites to offer chargeable data and/orservices without dealing with the billing system. Furthermore, a billingfor a substantially exact duration of connection may be achieved.

Another advantage may be an easier access for users to chargeable dataor services.

During a session, no data concerning means of payment may betransmitted, so that security may be improved.

The information relating to the state of the connection may betransmitted to the time-metering server via a TCP socket connection.

The monitoring program may be contained in a hidden frame.

A hidden frame may be materialized for example by a visible line on thescreen of the user station, which may be a personal computer.

The information relating to the state of the connection may be renewedin a period that is shorter than or equal to one minute, for example.

Thus, the monitoring program may inform the time-metering server of thestate of the connection at least every minute, or more frequently. Theperiod can be chosen as a function of the nature of the chargeable dataor services. For example, in case the user station is connected to achargeable zone of a site enabling to watch a movie, the period may belonger.

The method may further comprise determining duration for the session, asa function at least of information received by the time-metering serverdue to execution of the monitoring program.

The duration of the session may be stored by the time-metering server.

A connection duration counter may be incremented each time thetime-metering server receives information from the monitoring program.

The monitoring program may be of the Java applet type.

The monitoring program may execute as soon as it is loaded into the userstation.

Throughout a session, the user station may periodically receive varyingcodes of temporary validity as generated by the time-metering server.

Code validity may have duration of not more than three minutes, forexample.

The codes may be generated by the time-metering server at substantiallyconstant time intervals.

The number of codes generated during a session may be counted, and theduration of the session may be determined as a function at least of thenumber of codes counted.

The site may periodically receive varying countersign codes of temporaryvalidity associated with the corresponding varying codes sent to theuser station, these countersign codes being generated by thetime-metering server, and user station access to the chargeable dataand/or services may be authorized so long as the code and thecorresponding countersign code satisfy a predetermined relationship, forexample an equality relationship.

This may improve security of the connection.

The site may include different pages associated with display temporaryaddresses.

The monitoring program may be configured to warn the time-meteringserver in the event of disconnection from the chargeable zone.

A disconnection may for example correspond to a connection to anotherchargeable zone of the same site, to a connection to another Internetsite, to a disconnection from the Internet, intentionally or not or toan interruption of the user station or of the site.

The time-metering server may be arranged to cease timing the session inthe event of no information being received from the monitoring programover a predetermined length of time.

The site may be configured so as to associate at least one charging ratewith chargeable services and/or data.

The site may include chargeable services and/or data associated withcharging rates stored in a database.

The site may include pages organized in directories associated withrespective charging rates.

The site may also include pages of addresses that are organized as afunction of charging rates, and access to the pages may be performed viaa virtual host.

The site may be configured so as to have its own charging rates or/andto apply those that exist on other sites. A program configured so as tointroduce information relative to charging rates into the source code ofthe site may be provided.

The site may include a proxy type program configured to replace an URLaddress request from the user station with another URL address.

The proxy type program may be configured so as to compare the code withthe corresponding countersign code and verify that the predeterminedrelationship is satisfied.

In one embodiment, the proxy type program may be configured to readinformation contained in a page sent to the user station, and totransmit said information to the time-metering server. The user stationmay send information to the time-metering server relating to receptionof the page by the user station, and the time-metering server may beconfigured to compare said information with the information transmittedby the site because of execution of the proxy type program. Thetime-metering server may be configured to start timing a session onreceiving the information relating to reception of the page by the userstation. The page may be configured to transmit information to themonitoring program and the monitoring program may be configured totransmit information relating to reception of the page by the userstation to the time-metering server.

The site may include pages containing information representative of acharging rate, in particular information that is in tag form.

Information sent by the proxy type program to the time-metering servermay comprise a link, the page loaded into the user station may send tothe time-metering server a request concerning the link, and this requestmay constitute information relative to reception of the page by the userstation and may start timing a session and/or indicate a charging ratechange.

The time-metering server may be arranged to associate at least onecharging rate with a chargeable session.

In one embodiment, on each occasion a new page is received by the userstation, in particular a new HTML page corresponding to chargeable dataand/or service, information relating to said page may be sent to thetime-metering server. The information relating to reception of the pageby the user station may include charging information.

During a session, information relating to a charging rate associatedwith a page of the site may be sent to the time-metering server.

A link to access a page may be replaced by a program in javascript typelanguage, this program being configured so as to execute as soon as theuser activates the link and to enable the access to the page, thisprogram being also configured so as to send to the monitoring programinformation relative to the page loading and possibly to the pagecharging rate. The monitoring program may be configured so as to sendthe information to the time-metering server.

Content categories may be associated with the charging rates in order toenable to exercise control as a function of age or of parentalauthorization, for example.

The user station and/or the user may be identified prior to themonitoring program being loaded into the user station.

The user may be identified at least by recognizing a login and apassword.

The login and the password may be identical to the login and thepassword needed to connect to an Internet access supplier.

The user station may be identified by recognizing at least one intrinsiccharacteristic of the user station.

In case the user station possesses an Ethernet card with a serialnumber, the user station may be authenticated during an attempt ataccessing chargeable services and/or data, at least by reading theserial number.

In case the user station has an IP address, prior to authorizing accessto the chargeable zone, the IP address may be compared with one or moreprerecorded addresses for identifying the user.

The user may be identified by information coming from Internet accesssuppliers.

In case the user station is a mobile terminal with a connection linkedto an operator, for example one of the types GPRS, UMTS, G3, CDPD, thisterminal comprising an identifying chip including a PIN or WIM code,prior to authorizing access to the chargeable zone, the PIN or WIM codemay be compared with one or more prerecorded codes for identifying theuser.

The user may also be identified with recognition of biometric print,retina, fingerprint, or voice tone.

If the user connects to a chargeable zone of a site, leaves this zoneand enter again the zone, identification of the user may not require allidentification criteria provided the re-entering of the chargeable zoneoccurs within a given period of time, for example two hours.

Identification may then request only a password, for example.

The time-metering server may be configured for a given user account toaggregate connection durations to distinct sites, said durationspossibly being associated with charging rates.

The duration of the connection to the chargeable zone may be displayedon a screen of the user station.

An amount corresponding to the cost of various connections to thechargeable zones as accumulated over a predetermined period, for exampleone month, may be displayed on the user station.

The user may be enabled to put an upper limit on expenditure.

The time-metering server may be configured so as to compare the amountcorresponding to the cost of various connections to the chargeable zonesas accumulated with the upper limit entered by the user, and to warn theuser in the event the amount exceeds the upper limit.

A cost associated with the connection to the chargeable tone may bedisplayed on the user station in a currency (for example USD, EURO, YEN,. . . ) which is a function of a previously-determined place ofconnection.

The monitoring program may be configured to send information to thetime-metering server relating to a data rate at which the user stationreceives chargeable data. Thus, the user may be charged according to thedata received.

The time-metering server may be arranged to issue a bill on a useraccount associated with a mobile telephone or with a fixed telephoneline or with an electricity meter, or with a bank account or with anaccount associated with a credit card.

The time-metering server may also be configured in such a manner as toenable a user account to be debited for transactions other than forconnection time to a chargeable zone of a site.

The connection durations of a plurality of users to chargeable servicesand/or data of a site may be recorded, and the durations may besubjected to statistical processing. Thus, the site provider may beinformed of the time spent by surfers on the various contents orservices offered by the site.

The user station may be a personal computer with an Internet connection,for example of the x-DSL type.

The user station may be suitable for communicating over a wireless linkwith the Internet network.

The site may comprise chargeable contents and/or services of any kind.

The site may comprise chargeable contents such as financial information,meteo, advices, . . .

This site may comprise chargeable services such as presonalizedservices, providing information upon request, providing audio and videoinformation, . . .

Taking part to a chat forum may also be a chargeable service billed as afunction of the duration of connection.

The chargeable service provided by the site may also comprise a vocalinteractive service.

The site may include a chargeable service for allocating bandwidthcapacity, in order to have a better reception.

The site may comprise a telephone service over the Internet.

The connection to the chargeable zone may be initiated by the userstation opening an e-mail sent to the user station, this e-mailincluding a link to the chargeable zone of the site.

Another aspect of the; invention is to provide a method of enabling adata medium to be used on an appliance, the data medium being configuredin such a manner as to prevent at least part of it from being usedindependently of the appliance being in connection with a chargeablezone of an Internet site. This method comprises:

-   -   enabling the appliance to be connected to the chargeable zone of        the Internet site;    -   metering the duration of the connection; and    -   enabling the medium to be used throughout the time the appliance        is connected to the chargeable zone.

The appliance may be for example selected from the following group: apersonal computer, a game console (for example of the type XBOX® orPLAYSTATION®), a video projector (for example for a movie theater), anaudio and/or video disk player.

The data medium may be for example a cederom, a video disk, for examplea DVD, an electronic circuit (for example a memory card), a magneticband or disk.

Another object of the invention is to provide a time-metering servermaking it possible, during a connection of a user station to achargeable zone of an Internet site, to time the duration of a sessionduring which the user station can have access to chargeable data and/orservices of the site without disconnecting from the Internet, the serverbeing configured to receive information transmitted by a monitoringprogram loaded into the user station and being suitable for executingduring the session, said monitoring program being configured, onexecution, to send information relating to the state of the connectionto the time-metering server, this information being renewed periodicallyduring the session.

The time-metering server may be configured to determine the duration ofthe session, as a function at least of the information it receivesbecause of execution of the monitoring program.

The time metering server may be configured so as to generate variablecodes of temporary validity, and to transmit them to the user station.

The time-metering server may be configured to generate varyingcountersign codes of temporary validity associated with correspondingvarying codes sent to the user station, the countersign codes enablingthe user station to be authorized to access chargeable data and/orservices, so long as the code and the corresponding countersign codesatisfy a predetermined relationship.

The time-metering server may be configured to receive informationrelating to the state of the connection via a TCP socket connection.

The time-metering server may be configured to increment a connectionduration counter each time the time-metering server receives informationfrom the monitoring program.

The time-metering server may be configured to cease timing the sessionin the event of it receiving no information from the monitoring programover a predetermined duration.

The time-metering server may be configured to associate at least onecharging rate with a session.

The time-metering server may be configured, for a given user account, toaggregate quantities representative of connection durations to distinctsites, said quantities possibly being associated with charging rates.

The time-metering server may be configured to identify the user stationand user by recognizing a login, a password, and at least one intrinsiccharacteristic of the user station, and when the user station has anEthernet card with a serial number, the identification may compriserecognizing said serial number.

The time-metering server may be configured to identify the user stationby recognizing a PIN or WIM code, the user station being for example amobile terminal with a connection linked to an operator of one of thetypes GPRS, UMTS, G3 or CDPD and comprising an identifying chipincluding a PIN or WIM code.

The time-metering server may be configured, by execution of a proxy typeprogram, to receive information contained in a page sent to the userstation, said information being read by the proxy type program from thepage or being transmitted by the page to the proxy type program.

Another object of the invention is to provide a computer programreferred to as a monitoring program for use during connection of a userstation to a chargeable zone of an Internet site in order to time theduration of a session during which the user station can accesschargeable data and/or services of the site without disconnection fromthe Internet, the program being configured so that once loaded into saiduser station it executes during a chargeable session, said monitoringprogram being configured so that on execution it sends informationrelating to the state of the connection to a time-metering server, saidinformation being renewed periodically during the session.

The monitoring program may be configured to renew the informationrelating to the state of the connection within a period of time that isless than or equal to one minute.

The monitoring program may be a Java type applet.

The monitoring program may be configured to send information to thetime-metering server relating to a data rate at which chargeable data isreceived by the user station.

The monitoring program may be arranged to receive varying codes oftemporary validity issued by a time-metering server.

The monitoring program may be arranged to warn the time-metering serverin the event of disconnection from the chargeable zone, so that thetime-metering server may stop incrementing a duration counter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a signal transmitted overthe Internet network, the signal including data readable by a computerand corresponding to the program as defined above being downloaded to auser station.

Another object of the invention is to provide an Internet site includingpages corresponding to chargeable services and/or data, the site beingconfigured:

-   -   to give a user station access to said pages after the user has        been identified; and    -   to associate each page with a charging rate for billing the time        spent consulting the page to a user account associated with the        user station.

The site may be configured to receive varying countersign codes oftemporary validity from a time-metering server, the countersign codesbeing generated by the time-metering server and serving to authorizeaccess to the pages by the user station whenever a predeterminedrelationship is satisfied relative to corresponding codes generated bythe time-metering server and sent to the user station.

The site may be configured to compare the countersign code and thecorresponding code. This may prevent the site from sending chargeablepages to unauthorized users.

The comparison of the codes and countersign codes may also be carriedout by data processing means not included in the site.

The pages may present temporary display addresses. This may preventusers from trying to re-access the pages after the connection. This mayalso prevent unauthorized users to access chargeable pages without beingcharged.

Each page may contain information representative of a charging rate, forexample in tag form.

The pages may be classified in directories associated with respectivecharging rates.

The site may include a database in which there are recorded the chargingrates corresponding to the chargeable services and/or data.

The site may be configured to transmit charging rates, and/or databaseupdate information to the time-metering server.

The site may also be configured to transmit charging rates to the userstation.

The site may include a proxy type program.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new data processingsystem including:

-   -   means for accessing a data processing network (for example user        stations and servers) which users and chargeable content and/or        service providers can log onto, and    -   memory means (for example data storage systems) for storing        account details of each user, which data processing system    -   enables a user listed by the system and who has been identified        to access chargeable data or services of a content and/or        service provider without having to specify means of payment        directly to said content and/or service provider and    -   determines the duration of access by the user to the content        and/or service provider and possibly the quantity of chargeable        data consulted or transferred and possibly the services consumed        by the user and    -   debits the account of the user by a corresponding amount,        possibly depending on the nature of said data or services.

It is immaterial who the chargeable content and/or service providersare, and they may be providers of bandwidth or telephone.

Such a data processing system has many advantages.

A first advantage is that it may be possible to access the dataprocessing system from any computer when surfing the Net, becausebilling of the user is independent of the site which the user has loggedonto. Unlike the Minitel® services available in France, for which thetelephone subscriber is billed depending on the nature of the servicecontacted and the duration of contact, the data processing system mayenable any Internet surfer using any access provider or operator and anytype of connection (PSDN, x-DSL, etc.) to operate from any location toaccess chargeable services or contents offered by all providersfederated around the data processing system, i.e. who have entered intoan agreement with the administrator of the data processing system.

It may be the data processing system that assumes responsibility forbilling each user, for example depending on the duration of connectionto the chargeable content or service provider. Each chargeable contentor service provider therefore may have no need to bill the userdirectly, which avoids the cost of processing a credit card payment inrespect of a small amount.

The data provider may create its own charging rates or apply preexistingrates.

The data processing system also enables each user to be debitedglobally, at the end of a given period or as and when the user consumes,for an amount that corresponds to the total cost of connection tovarious chargeable content and/or service providers federated around thedata processing system. It is highly probable that the amount inquestion will be non-negligible, which reduces the relative cost ofprocessing a credit card payment.

A further advantage of the data processing system is that it encouragesusers to consult chargeable content and/or service providers more,because such consultation is possible without the user having to givetheir credit card number each time.

The data processing system may be adapted to route a user logging ontothe data processing system to a particular content or service provideras a function of predetermined criteria. The data processing system mayfor example select the bandwidth provider that is cheapest at that timeof day.

The user account that is debited may be internal to the data processingsystem, in which case bills are sent directly to the user, not by thedata processing system itself but rather through the intermediary of anInternet access provider, for example. The data processing system maybill the access provider who is responsible for recovering the cost fromthe user.

The data processing network is advantageously the Internet, which ispreferably accessed via a high bit rate connection, for example anx-DSL, cable, wireless or satellite connection.

The data processing system may include a Minitel® emulator and provideaccess to Teletel® via the Professional Access Service [Service d'AccèsProfessionnel].

The data processing system may include a multi-protocol interface whichenables a user to open several sessions at once, each specific to agiven protocol, and for example to have on-screen a window correspondingto an Internet session, a window corresponding to a Minitel® session,and a window corresponding to an IBM® 3090 emulator session.

The data processing system may be adapted to apply different chargingrates as a function of the identity of the content and/or serviceproviders that the user can access via the system and/or the nature ofthe contents or services consulted or consumed.

Users may access the data processing system by typing in its Internetaddress, possibly without first downloading a plug-in.

The invention further provides a method of billing access to achargeable service or chargeable data depending on the duration ofaccess to said service or data and possibly the quantity of dataconsulted or transferred and possibly the services consumed, andpossibly their nature, said method comprising:

-   -   enabling a user to log onto a data processing system having an        Internet address,    -   enabling the user to be listed by the data processing system on        specifying means of payment,    -   enabling the user to log onto a chargeable service and/or        content provider via the data processing system after being        identified,    -   enabling the user to benefit from chargeable services and/or        data of that service or content provider without having to        specify means of payment directly to that content and/or service        provider,    -   determining the duration for which the user accesses the data        and/or services of the content and/or service provider and        possibly the quantity of data consulted by the user or        transferred and possibly the services consumed, in particular in        the case of a bandwidth provider, and    -   debiting, possibly off-line and/or indirectly, an account of the        user as a function of that duration and possibly the quantity of        data consulted or transferred and possibly the services        consumed, possibly allowing for their nature.

The invention will be better understood after reading the followingdetailed description of non-limiting embodiments of the invention andexamining the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an example of embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a flow chart,

FIG. 3 shows the simultaneous display of a plurality of windowscorresponding to different sessions on the screen of the computer of auser,

FIG. 4 shows another example of embodiment of the method of theinvention, and

FIG. 5 shows another example of embodiment of the method of theinvention.

The data processing system 1 shown in FIG. 1 enables users 2, inparticular Internet surfers, to benefit form chargeable services and/ordata provided by content and/or service providers 3 who are federatedaround the data processing system 1, i.e. who have entered intoagreements with the administrator of the data processing system 1.

The content and/or service providers 3 can provide bandwidth, IPtelephone, professional data, emulators, music, films, games or otherservices for consumers or professionals, for example. The foregoing listis not limiting on the invention.

The data processing system 1 includes means providing access to thecontent and/or service providers 3 to enable a user to log onto to themindirectly without having to enter into a subscription agreement witheach of them or specify to them payment means such as a credit cardnumber.

The data processing system 1 also includes access means enabling usersto access the data processing system 1 and identify themselves and, ifthey are not known to the data processing system 1, to enter sufficientinformation to be listed, identified and debited, for example a creditcard number and the card expiry date, or an identifying code included ina chip comprised in the user station.

The data processing system 1 also manages access rights, in particularwhen the user is a company and more than one employee of the company canlog onto the data processing system 1.

In this case, the data processing system can manage access authorizationas a function of the time of day and the names of the company'semployees, for example, to prevent an employee accessing the system fromhome, outside working hours, using the log-in name of the company.

One should refer now to FIG. 2.

In an initial step 4 a user logs onto the data processing system 1 viathe Internet using the IP address of the data processing system 1.

In step 5 the data processing system 1 prompts the user to identifyhimself by entering a log-in name and a password previously selected.

In step 6, if the user is not yet listed he can enter all the necessaryinformation and in particular specify a means of payment, such as acredit card number.

A log-in name and a password are then selected.

In step 7, if the user is already listed and has identified himselfadequately, he is allowed to log onto one of the providers 3 federatedaround the data processing system 1.

In step 8 the data processing system 1 determines the nature of the dataand/or the services consulted or consumed and selects the correspondingcharging band to be applied.

In step 9 the data processing system 1 measures the duration of theconnection and/or the quantity of data transferred or consulted.

In step 10 the data processing system 1 debits the account of the useraccording to that duration and/or that quantity. In this example theaccount is a personal account of the user and is directly associatedwith the means of payment specified to the data processing system.

Alternatively, the account could be internal to the data processingsystem 1, in which case billing is effected indirectly by anintermediary between the user and the data processing system 1, forexample an Internet access provider who has entered into an agreementwith the administrator of the data processing system 1.

In the embodiment described, the data processing system 1 includes amulti-protocol interface enabling the user to open more than one windowon his screen at a time, the windows corresponding to differentsessions, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a window 11 corresponding toa Minitel® session and a window 13 corresponding to a 3090 emulatorsession.

If the data processing system 1 can access more than one bandwidthprovider 3, the data processing system 1 advantageously connects a userrequiring transmitting voice or video automatically to the cheapestbandwidth provider 3 at that time, for the greatest benefit to the user.

The data processing system 1 may be accessed other than via amicrocomputer 2, for example by means of a mobile telephone of a pocketorganizer, giving an Internet access.

Another example will now be described with reference to FIG. 4.

User station 20 connects to an Internet site 30, comprising a chargeablezone. A time-metering server 40 can exchange information with the userstation 20 and Internet site 30.

The user aims for example to access to chargeable pages of thechargeable zone of the Internet site 30.

Before enabling the user station 20 to access those pages, the userstation 20 and the user are identified, being asked for example for alogin and a password.

In order to authenticate the user station 20 in a more secured manner,the user station's IP address and a serial number of an Ethernet networkcard, if the user station has one, may be also checked.

Once the user station 20 has been identified, a monitoring program ofthe java applet type is loaded into the user station 20.

This monitoring program executes as soon as it is loaded, and the userstation 20 may access the desired chargeable pages.

The monitoring program is configured so as to, from the beginning untilthe end of the session of connection of the user station 20 to thechargeable zone of the Internet site 30, send periodically to thetime-metering server 40 information relative to the state of theconnection. The time-metering server 40 is configured so as to readinformation received from the monitoring program, in order to incrementa connection duration counter (not shown).

The time-metering server 40 generates also codes and countersign codesat substantially constant time intervals. It sends the codes to the userstation 20 and the countersign codes to the Internet site 30. The codesand countersign codes are compared, and if they satisfy a predeterminedrelationship, the user station 20 may access the chargeable zone.

When the user station 20 disconnects from the chargeable zone of thesite 30, the monitoring program sends information relative to the end ofconnection to the time-metering server 40. The time-metering server 40then ceases timing the session.

In case the user station 20 connects several times to a chargeable zoneof Internet site 30, the time-metering server 40 may aggregateconnection duration of several sessions, in order to establish a globalbilling for all the sessions. Several Internet sites may comprisechargeable zones the user station can connect to as described before.All durations of all sessions of connection to all chargeable zones ofseveral Internet sites may be aggregated by the time-metering server 40.

In a same chargeable zone, chargeable data and/or services may beassociated to different charging rates.

These chargeable data or services may correspond to pages, for exampleHTML pages, transmitted to the user station 20. These pages may containinformation representative of a charging rate, in particular informationin tag form. The monitoring program may be configured so as to send tothe time-metering server 40 information related to those tags, thetime-metering server 40 taking into account the charging rates whenbilling the user station 20.

FIG. 5 shows an Internet site 30 comprising a proxy type program 31. Theproxy type program 31 is in charge of replacing an URL address requestedby the user station 20 by another URL address. The proxy type program 31is also configured so as to read information contained in the pages sentto the user station 20 by the site 30 and to send this information tothe time-metering server 40. The user station 20 sends to thetime-metering server 40 information relative to reception of thechargeable page of the site 30 and the time-metering server 40 isconfigured so as to compare this information with the informationtransmitted by the site 30 because of execution of the proxy typeprogram 31.

When the information received by the time-metering server (40) satisfy apredetermined relationship, a connection duration counter isincremented. The information send by the proxy type program 31 maycontain information representative of a charging rate.

Information contained in the pages sent to the user station say betransmitted to the time-metering server 40 through the monitoringprogram loaded on the user station.

It may also be possible according to one aspect of the invention totrace an identified user using a user station made of a mobile terminalthroughout a connection to a low rate chargeable zone of an Internetsite, even if there are one or more disconnections throughout thesession.

The following example relates to a method enabling the traceability ofthe user station and of the actions of the user throughout the session.

For example, a user enters a supermarket. He connects his mobileterminal to a chargeable zone of a site, identifies himself, and beginsshopping. The trolley is configured to detect and calculate the price ofthe items put therein. From the beginning of the session until the endof the session, the user is known, identified and traced. Once the userhas finished shopping, he gives, with help of his mobile terminal, anorder to pay the items contained in the trolley. Then, he receives forexample a code authorizing him to leave the supermarket and the sessionends.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples that have beendescribed.

Features of all embodiments described, both without reference to thedrawings and with reference to the drawings may be combined together.

1-102. cancelled.
 103. A method of timing the duration of a sessionduring a connection between a user station and a chargeable zone of anInternet site, during which session the user station can access at leastone of chargeable data and chargeable services of the site withoutdisconnecting from the Internet, the method comprising: loading amonitoring program into the user station for execution throughout theduration of the session, said monitoring program being configured, whileit is being executed, to send information relating to the state of theconnection to a time-metering server, said information being renewedperiodically throughout the session.
 104. A method according to claim103, wherein the information relating to the state of the connection istransmitted to the time-metering server via a TCP socket connection.105. A method according to claim 103, wherein the monitoring program iscontained in a hidden frame.
 106. A method according to claim 103,wherein the information relating to the state of the connection isrenewed in a period that is shorter than or equal to one minute.
 107. Amethod according to claim 103, wherein further comprising determining aduration for the session, as a function at least of information receivedby the time-metering server due to execution of the monitoring program.108. A method according to claim 103, wherein the monitoring program isof the Java applet type.
 109. A method according to claim 103, whereinthe monitoring program executes as soon as it is loaded into the userstation.
 110. A method according to claim 103, wherein at least one ofthe user station and the user is identified prior to the monitoringprogram being loaded into the user station.
 111. A method according toclaim 103, wherein throughout a session, the user station periodicallyreceives varying codes of temporary validity as generated by thetime-metering server.
 112. A method according to claim 111, wherein codevalidity has a duration of not more than three minutes.
 113. A methodaccording to claim 111, wherein the codes are generated by thetime-metering server at substantially constant time intervals.
 114. Amethod according to claim 111, wherein the number of codes generatedduring a session is counted, and wherein the duration of the session isdetermined as a function at least of the number of codes counted.
 115. Amethod according to claim 111, wherein the site periodically receivesvarying countersign codes of temporary validity associated with thecorresponding varying codes sent to the user station, these countersigncodes being generated by the time-metering server, and wherein userstation access to the at least one of chargeable data and chargeableservices is authorized so long as the code and the correspondingcountersign code satisfy a predetermined relationship.
 116. A methodaccording to claim 115, wherein the predetermined relationship is anequality relationship.
 117. A method according to claim 103, wherein aconnection duration counter is incremented each time the time-meteringserver receives information from the monitoring program.
 118. A methodaccording to claim 103, wherein the site includes different pagesassociated with display temporary addresses.
 119. A method according toclaim 103, wherein the monitoring program is configured to warn thetime-metering server in the event of disconnection from the chargeablezone.
 120. A method according to claim 103, wherein the time-meteringserver is arranged to cease timing the session in the event of noinformation being received from the monitoring program over apredetermined length of time.
 121. A method according to claim 103,wherein the site is configured so as to associate at least one chargingrate with at least one of chargeable services and chargeable data. 122.A method according to claim 121, wherein the site includes at least oneof chargeable services and chargeable data associated with chargingrates stored in a database.
 123. A method according to claim 122,wherein the database is stored with the site supplier or with thetime-metering server.
 124. A method according to claim 121, wherein thesite includes pages organized in directories associated with respectivecharging rates.
 125. A method according to claim 121, wherein the siteincludes pages of addresses that are organized as a function of chargingrates, and wherein access to the pages is performed via a virtual host.126. A method according to claim 103, wherein the site includes a proxytype program serving to replace an URL address request from the userstation with another URL address.
 127. A method according to claim 126,wherein the proxy type program is configured so as to compare the codewith the corresponding countersign code and verify that thepredetermined relationship is satisfied.
 128. A method according toclaim 126, wherein the proxy type program is configured to readinformation contained in a page sent to the user station and to transmitsaid information to the time-metering server.
 129. A method according toclaim 128, wherein the user station sends information to thetime-metering server relating to reception of the page, and wherein thetime-metering server is configured to compare said information with theinformation transmitted by the site because of execution of the proxytype program.
 130. A method according to claim 129, wherein thetime-metering server is configured to start timing a session onreceiving the information relating to reception of the page by the userstation.
 131. A method according to claim 129, wherein the page isarranged to transmit information to the monitoring program and whereinthe monitoring program is configured to transmit information relating toreception of the page to the time-metering server.
 132. A methodaccording to claim 103, wherein the site includes pages containinginformation representative of a charging rate, in particular informationthat is in tag form.
 133. A method according to claim 129, wherein theinformation sent by the proxy type program to the time-metering servercomprises a link, wherein the page loaded into the user station sends tothe time-metering program a request concerning the link, and whereinthis request constitutes information relative to reception of the pageby the user station and at least one of starts timing a session andindicates a charging rate change.
 134. A method according to claim 103,wherein on each occasion a new page is received by the user station, inparticular a new HTML page corresponding to at least one of chargeabledata and chargeable service, information relating to said page is sentto the time-metering server.
 135. A method according to claim 103,wherein a link to access to a page is replaced by a program injavascript type language, this program being configured to execute assoon as the user activates the link and enable the access to the page,this program being also configured so as to send to the monitoringprogram information relative to the page loading and possibly to thepage charging rate.
 136. A method according to claim 135, wherein themonitoring program is configured so as to send said information to thetime-metering server.
 137. A method according to claim 103, whereincontent categories are associated with the charging rates in order toenable to exercise control as a function of age or of parentalauthorization.
 138. A method according to claim 103, wherein at leastone of the user station and the user is identified, at least byrecognizing a login and a password.
 139. A method according to claim138, wherein the login and the password are identical to the login andthe password needed to connect to an Internet access supplier.
 140. Amethod according to claim 103, wherein at least one of the user stationand the user is identified by recognizing at least one intrinsiccharacteristic of the user station.
 141. A method according to claim103, in which the user station has an IP address, and wherein, prior toauthorizing access to the chargeable zone, said fP address is comparedwith one or more prerecorded addresses for identifying the user.
 142. Amethod according to claim 103, wherein the user is identified byinformation coming from Internet access suppliers.
 143. A methodaccording to claim 103, wherein the user station is a mobile terminalwith a connection linked to an operator of one of the types GPRS, UMTS,G3, CDPD, this terminal comprising an identifying chip including a codePIN or WIM, and wherein, prior to authorizing access to the chargeablezone, said code PIN or WIM is compared with one or more prerecordedcodes for identifying the user.
 144. A method according to claim 103,wherein the time-metering server is configured for a given user accountto aggregate connection durations to distinct sites, said durationspossibly being associated with charging rates.
 145. A method accordingto claim 103, wherein the duration of the connection to the chargeablezone is displayed on the user station.
 146. A method according to claim103, wherein the time-metering server is configured to compare theamount corresponding to the cost of various connections to thechargeable zones as accumulated with an upper limit on expenditureentered by the user, and to warn the user in the event the cost exceedsthe upper limit on expenditure.
 147. A method according to claim 103,wherein the monitoring program is configured to send information to thetime-metering server relating to a data rate at which the user stationreceives chargeable data.
 148. A method according to claim 103, whereinthe connection durations of a plurality of users to at least one ofchargeable services and chargeable data of a site are recorded, andwherein said durations are subjected to statistical processing.
 149. Amethod according to claim 103, wherein the user station is a personalcomputer with an Internet connection, in particular of the xDSL type.150. A method according to claim 103, wherein the user station issuitable for communicating over a wireless link with the Internetnetwork.
 151. A method according to claim 103, wherein the time-meteringserver is arranged to issue a bill on a user account associated with amobile telephone or with a fixed telephone line or with an electricitymeter, or with a bank account or with an account associated with acredit card.
 152. A method according to claim 103, wherein thetime-metering server is configured in such a manner as to enable a useraccount to be debited for transactions other than for connection time toa chargeable zone of a site.
 153. A method according to claim 103,wherein the site includes a chargeable service for allocating bandwidthcapacity.
 154. A method according to claim 103, wherein the connectionto the chargeable zone is initiated by the user station opening ane-mail sent to the user station and including a link to the chargeablezone of the site.
 155. A method of enabling a data medium to be used onan appliance, the data medium being configured in such a manner as toprevent at least part of it from being used independently of theappliance being in connection with a chargeable zone of an Internetsite, comprising: enabling the appliance to be connected to thechargeable zone of the Internet site; metering the duration of theconnection; and enabling the medium to be used throughout the time theappliance is connected to the chargeable zone.
 156. A method accordingto claim 155, wherein the appliance is selected from the followinggroup: a personal computer, a games console, a video projector, a readerof at least one of audio and video disks.
 157. A computer programreferred to as a monitoring program for use during connection of a userstation to a chargeable zone of an Internet site in order to time theduration of a session during which the user station can access to leastone of chargeable data and chargeable services of the site withoutdisconnection from the Internet, the program being configured so thatonce loaded into said user station it executes during a chargeablesession, said monitoring program being configured so that on executionit sends information relating to the state of the connection to atime-metering server, said information being renewed periodically duringthe session.
 158. A program according to claim 157, said program beingconfigured to renew the information relating to the state of theconnection within a period of time that is less than or equal to oneminute.
 159. A program according to claim 157, said program being a Javatype applet.
 160. A program according to claim 157, said program beingconfigured to send information to the time-metering server relating to adata rate at which chargeable data is received by the user station. 161.A program according to claim 157, said program being arranged to receivevarying codes of temporary validity issued by a time-metering server.162. A program according to claim 157, said program being arranged towarn the time-metering server in the event of disconnection from thechargeable zone.
 163. A program according to claim 157, said programbeing configured to identify the user station by recognizing a PIN orWIM code, the user station being a mobile terminal with a connectionlinked to an operator of one of the types GPRS, UMTS, G3 pr CDPD andcomprising and identifying chip including a PIN or WIM code.
 164. Asignal transmitted over the Internet network, the signal including datareadable by a computer and corresponding to the program as defined inclaim 55 being downloaded to a user station.
 165. A data processingsystem including: means for accessing a data processing network whichusers and at least one of chargeable content and chargeable serviceproviders can log onto, and memory means for storing account details ofeach user, which data processing system enables a user listed by thesystem and who has been identified to access chargeable data or servicesof at least one of a content and a service provider without having tospecify means of payment directly to said at least one of content andservice provider and determines the duration of access by the user tothe at least of one content and service provider and possibly thequantity of chargeable data consulted or transferred and possibly theservices consumed by the user and debits the account of the user by acorresponding amount, possibly depending on the nature of said data orservices.
 166. A system according to claim 165, wherein said dataprocessing network is the Internet and is preferably accessed via a highbit rate connection, in particular an x-DSL or satellite connection.167. A system according to claim 165, said system applying differentcharge bands according to at least one of: the identity of the at leastone of content and service providers that a user can access via saidsystem, and the nature of the contents or services consulted orconsumed.
 168. A system according to claim 165, wherein it can beaccessed by means of an Internet address, possibly without previouslydownloading a plug-in.
 169. A system according to claim 165, wherein thedata processing system is adapted to route a user logging onto the dataprocessing system to a particular content or service provider as afunction of predetermined criteria.